Trump has apparently decided he doesn't need advice anymore


Over the past week, President Trump has fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, openly advocated the death penalty for drug dealers, bragged about lying to Canada's prime minister, apparently forced the firing of a retiring deputy FBI director, and, most recently, hinted on Twitter that he might try to oust Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating him. Trump is "newly emboldened to say what he really feels and to ignore the cautions of those around him" because he "now believes he has settled into the job" of being president and trusts his instincts more than his advisers, Maggie Haberman reports at The New York Times, citing a dozen people close to Trump or his White House.
"Projecting strength, control, and power, whether as a New York developer or domineering reality television host, has always been vital to Mr. Trump," Haberman writes. "But in his first year in the White House, according to his friends, he found himself feeling tentative and anxious, intimidated by the role of president, a fact that he never openly admitted but that they could sense." No more.
Trump no longer feels the need to rely on the expertise of Chief of Staff John Kelly, outgoing chief economic adviser Gary Cohn, or Tillerson, and "if he once suspected they were smarter or better equipped to lead the country and protect his presidency, he doesn't believe that now," Haberman says. "Outside the White House, there are few friends the president will listen to." Kelly, Cohn, and departing White House Communications Director Hope Hicks were among the few people who could contain Trump and blunt his potentially self-destructive impulses, and some aides "say privately that Mr. Trump does not understand the job the way he believes he does, and that they fear he will become even less inclined to take advice." You can read more about the emboldened Trump at The New York Times.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Frauds: ‘fantastically stylish’ crime heist caper is a ‘triumph’
The Week Recommends Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker play a pair of ex-cons planning one last job
-
The struggles of Aston Martin
In the Spotlight The car manufacturer, famous for its association with the James Bond franchise, is ‘running out of road’
-
The end of ‘golden ticket’ asylum rights
The Explainer Refugees lose automatic right to bring family over and must ‘earn’ indefinite right to remain
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies